Thread measuring and cutting device for spool-cabinets.



Patented ma 1:, .1902.

J. naovzn. THREAD MEASURING AND CUTTING DEVICE FOR SPOOL CABINETS.

(Application filed Apr. 22. 1901.

3 Sheets-Shut I, 3

(No Modal.)

hm: /ZQ/ Wimesses i m n r m .ww z Z y w Patented Mar. n, 1902.

x J. uneven. THREAD MEASURING AND CUTTING DEVICE FOR SPOOL CABINETS.

3 Shae ts sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No.'694,950. P atente d Mar. H, I902.

J. DBOVER.

THREAD MEASURHIG AND CUTTING DEVICE FOR SPOOL CABINETS;

(Application .mea Apr. 22. 1901.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(Ni) Model.)

YHE Mamas versus 00., monurmu. vasummum n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC THREAD MEASURING AND CUTTING DEVICE FOR SPOOL-CABINETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 694,950, dated March 1 1, 1902.

Application filed April 22, 1901. Serial No. 58,828. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES Dnovnn, a subject of the King of Great Britain,-residing at St. Johns, Newfoundland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thread Measuring and Cutting Devices for Spool- Cabinets; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in spool-cabinets; and the primary object in view is to provide means by which a predetermined length of thread, which may be considered by seamstresses as a needleful, may easily be drawn from a spool and be auto- 'matioally cut or severed at the required point number of spools which may contain thread of the desired color and size and which are adapted to be easily adjusted in operative relation to the thread-cutter mechanism, to promote the convenience of the seamstress in using the apparatus, and to simplify and cheapen the construction within the limit of capabilities of the structure.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel ,comhination, construe tion, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.v

In the drawings hereto annexed, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a spool-cabinet embodying my invention and representing the cover thereof in an open condition. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the cabinet shown by Fig. land with-the front thereof thrown back to-an open position in order to expose the operating mechanism and to permit the thread to be easily drawn out of the cabinet. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation in the plane of the dotted line 3 3 on Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. dis an enlarged detail transverse sectional view through the apparatus, taken in the plane of the irregular line 4 d on Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the base and a clamp by which the cabinet may be revolubly mounted on a table or other suitable surface. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, the plane of which is indicatedby the dotted line 6 6 on Fig. 1. Fig. '7 is a detail fragmentary view of a cutter-supporting bracket. 'Fig. 8 is a transverse section thereof on the line 8 S of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of one of the rock-shafts representing the spring. Fig. 10* is a detail perspectiveview of an implement adapted to separate the yieldable part of the bracket shown by Figs. 7 and 8.

Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of the cuttor-guide.

The same numerals of reference denote like parts in each of the several figures 'of the drawings.

5 designates the casing of my improved apparatus, the same being provided withafront door 6, which is hinged to the casing,as at 7, and is adapted to be confined in its closed position by means of a latchS, and against this door is arranged to press a spring 9, which is attached to the casingwithin the latter, whereby the latch may be released and the door will be automatically thrown to its open position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 and by full lines in Fig. 2. The casing is furthermore provided with a top consisting of the member 10, which is hinged at 11 to one edge of the casing, said top having a member 12, that is hinged at 13 to the unconfined edge of the top member 10. The top may be lowered across the casing for the purpose of having a latch lei engage with a stud 14: on thefree edge of top member 12, thereby confining the top in its closed position. An impelling-spring 15 is mounted within the casing and is provided with an arm 15, that is operatively connected with the top member 10, and the two members 10 12 of the top are normally pressed apart by the action of a spring 16,'whereby disarrangement of p the latch 14 from the stud 1e permits the spring 15 to quickly throw the top member 10 to the open position shown by Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, while the spring 16 turns the top member 12 at an angle to the other top member- 10, as more clearly represented by Fig. 2.

The cabinet is adapted to contain a series IOO of spools, which may be arranged or grouped within the casing 5 in any desired manner. As one means for supporting a series of spools, I employ a bracket 17, the same having suitable arms 17, which are fastened to the rear of the casing, and this bracket is provided with a series of upstanding spindles 18, three or more in number, as shown by the drawings. A spool or spools, such as 19, may be placed on one or more of these spindles, so-as turn or rotate freelythereon. Another bracket 20 is provided within thecasing 5, quite near the hinged. door .6 thereof, said bracket'having a vertical spindle 21, adapted to receive a spool of thread. In the embodiment of the invention shown by the drawings I have represented'the bracketsand spindles adapted to'receive four spoolsof thread, the latter being of any desired color and size; but it is evident that the cabinet may be constructed with a number of spindles in order to contain adesired-number of spools.

For the-purpose of determining the length of the thread I have provided a mechanism which will-be-hereinafter describedas a measuring mechanism, and for the purpose of cutting the thread the cabinet is equipped vwith a cutter mechanism. These two mech- .fitted to said measuring mechanism before it is passed or brought to the cutter mechanism. As one means for supporting the working parts of the measuring mechanism I have provided a cross-rail-22- on the bottom of the casing and an upper rail 23, which is secured 'to thesides of the casing, so as to lie in the vertical plane of the rail 22, althoughany suitable form of framework may be employed for supporting the-measuring mechanism.

Tothe rail 22 is secured a metallic bearing plate 24, having a suitable step-bearing25,

adapted to accommodate the lower end of a shaft 26, the same having a collar 26, which is engaged by a retaining-plate'27. (See-Fig.

=4.) The shaft '26 passes loosely through and :is partly supported by the upper rail 23, and to the'upper end of said shaft is secured a pulley 28, the same arranged in a horizontal position and provided with a peripheral groove 29, thewlatter receiving a lining 30 of some good friction material, such as-rubber,

leather, or-the like. The shaft 26 is provided at a pointintermediate of-its lengthwith'a spur-gear-pinion 31, the'same arranged to have intermeshing engagement with a masterwheel 32,the latter being in the form of a gear and securedrigidly to'a shaft The lower portion of this shaft is mounted loosely in the step-bearing 34, which is provided in the plate 24 or the rail 22, and this shaft has a collar 35, which is engaged by a fixed retaining-plate 36. The shaft is mounted in the hearing so that it may turn freely therein and be also capable of a limited rocking movement. in order that it may be tilted to theinclined position indicated by dotted lines in Fig- 4, whereby the master-wheel 32 may be withdrawn from-intermeshing engagement with the gear-pinion 31 on the shaft 26. The upperportion of this shaft is fitted loosely in a slot 37, which is provided in the upper rail 23, and said shaft is normally pressed to its vertical position by the energy of a bowed spring 38, one end of which is secured to the rail 23, while the other end bears laterally against said shaft 33, as more clearly shown by Figs. 1 and 4.

I have provided a shipping-rod 39 for the V purpose of manually adjusting the shaft from its vertical to the dotted-line position, said rod being arranged in a horizontal position substantially above the ;rail-23- and having one end thereof extending through an opening 39, provided in one side wall of the casing 5. The end of the rod 39 is bent to form a short arm 40, which is engaged by a crank 41 on an operating-piece 42, that is pivoted at 43 to the outside of the casing, whereby the operating-piece may bedepressed, as indicated by dotted lines inFig. 4, so as to give endwise movement to the rod 39 against the energyof the spring 38, so as to move the shaft 33 to the inclined position and withdraw the master-wheel 32 from the gear 3l;bnt when the pressure is removed from this operating-piece the spring 38instantly returns the shaft 33 to its vertical position, and thereby returns the master-wheel32 back to its normal position, so asto intermesh with the gear-pinion.

It is to be understood thaton the withdrawal of the master-gear fromengagement with the pinion3l the wheel or pulley 28 is free to rotate Without affectingthe cutter mechanism, whereby a thread of any desired length may be withdrawn from the spool in the cabinet.

The length of the thread thus withdrawn-may be less than the'leng-th of-threadwvhich is automatically determined by the measuring mechanism,'orit may exceed'the length of such thread determined by the measuring mechanism and considered ordinarily as a needleful. It is thus apparent that the described withdrawal of the master-gear permits the wheel or pulley 28 to have movement independent of-the cutter mechanism; but when the operating-piece is released the mastergearis automatically thrown into engagement with-the gear-pinion on theshaft 26, thus restoring the parts to normal position.

'A thread-guide 44 is secured to one side of the casing at a point-above the rail 23 and to extend toward the-shaft 33, and through this ICC saidthread should be passed one or more? times around the groo'vedpulley 28, so as to have propel-engagement with the friction-' lining therein,-and then the thread is to be passed to another thread-guide 45, the latter-f having operative relationto the cutter mech- 'anism, all as clearly shown byFig. 1. Thisf last-described thread-guide 45 is fastened securely to a supplementary framework :46, the same being secured to a side wall of the casing I and provided with a. depending lug which is fastened to the bottom of the casing, .said thread-guide 45 having a laterally-extending finger 45, which. is disposed in the path of a swinging threadarm 47, so as to form a stop for said arm and limit the upward move-' ment thereof. '(See Figs. 1, 2, and 3.) Said arm 47 is provided at its free extremity'with a loop or eye47, adapted to receive the-thread after it is passed through the thread-guide 45,

and the arm is made fast with ahorizontal rock-shaft 48, the latter being journaled in proper hearings in the supplementaryfram'e -46. -Said rock-shaft is provided at its'opposite end from the'thread'arm with a depend ing trip-M11149, that is formed into a broadened foot 49, lying normally-in the path of a trip stud or dog 50,the latter being secured -to the master-wheel 33 and projecting 'upwardly therefronnso as toengage with said foot of the trip-arm. Around this rock-shaft 48 is coiled a spring 51, one end of which is secured to'the shaft and the other end of which bears against-a cross-bar 46 'ofthesupplementary frame 46, as shown by Fig. 1, said spring tending to turntherock-shaft normally in a direction which throws the thread: arm inan npwardly-inclineddirection and; in engagement'with the stop'45 of the threadguide, and alsodisposingthe trip-arm 49in an inclined position,wherein the foot thereof lies in the path of thetrip stud 50.

51 designates anotherhorizontal rock-shaft, which is'journaled in proper hearings in the supplementary frame46 and at asuitable'distance from the first-named'rock-shaft 48, said shaft 51 having a depending trip-arm 52,

which is disposed in a different vertical plane.

from thetrip-arm 49 of the shaft 48, sothat its lower end will lie in'the path of a cutteractnatin'g trip-stud 53 on the master-wheel,v

said'stud 53 being disposed to one side ofthe stud 5'0 and near the perimeter of the masterwheel for the purpose of engaging with the trip-arm 52 at a'period su'bsequentto the engagenient of the Stud to the trip'arm 49. Furthermore, the rock-shaft'5l is provided at its opposite end portion with a crank-arm 54, the same depending from the shaft for a suitable distance and arranged to havdengagement with the hook-shaped end 55 of a stop-arm 55; the latterbeing secured toa side ofthe casing, as shown by Fig. 1. A coiled spring 56is fitted onthe rock-shaft 5:1, so-as end with an angulararm =,-*which termie to have one end secured thereto and itsother end bear against the frame, asat' 56 i'n 'Fig. 6, and this springimp'els the rock-shaft so that its crank-arm will engage with the hook of the stop-arm- 55,-while its trip 52 will be maintained in the pathof the stud 53,although the: rock-shaft is free to turn in a direction under the pressure of the stud 53, which will move the crank-arm 54in a backward direction and away. from the hook 55.

screws to the bottom of the casing, near the front door 6 thereof,-and thisbracket is formed with a bent yieldable arm 58, which lies alongside of the bracket. proper and is furnished with a pivotal stud or lug '59, that lies between-the bracket and :said arm, the latter 5 serving to support the stud and to permit it to bewithdrawn a limited distance laterally from lhe=bracket-, as will'be understoodby reference to'Figs. 7 and-,8. 7

60designa tes theeutter-blade, which is fit-.

ted loosely at its lower portion in thespace between the bracket and its-yieldable arm-and is provided with a perforation-adapted to receive'the-pivotal stud 59, wherebythe cutter is mounted-in the braeket, so:as' to'sw-ingiom a horizontal a'xis.- The cutter lies, belowthe swinging thread-arm :4-7 and in a plane very close to the path of movement of-saidthreadarm,and said cutterisfurnished with acu rved working edge 61, which termi natesin apoint 62, the rear part of the cutter havinga-lug 63, to whichis pivotally connecteda link-64, the opposite end of which is pivoted to the crank-arm, as ate-4, whereby the cutter is connected by the shaft/51 A i 65 designatesa-cutiter-guide,which-isshown .byFig. 11 as bent from a piece of iwire, 'although said guide maybe made ofa-nyother suitable material. Th'ecutter-guide is formed with a'vertical'slot or passage-way 66 ,'-adapt- 'ed' to receive the cutter inxthe 'normal'position of the latter; Theupper portion of the cutter-guide terminates in admin 67, having link to an arm of the rock-;

a beveled upper extremity, andhelow said horn the cutterguide is furnished-with. the thread loops 'orrecesses ;68, the same opening downwardly and adapted to permit'the thread to be easily adjusted thereinz; The but-terguide is fastened to the bottom of the-casing,

so as to have the slottedportionthereof-- lie inthe pathof the swinging-cutter, while the loops or recesses are arranged-to lie quite close to the loop ioreye'of the thread-arm47 'w'henthelattcr is depressed wherebythe horn 6.7 operates to direct the th'read'on the'descent of :the arm intothe loops or-vre'cesses 68, the cutter atthisperiod being retracted, thus*per- 'mit'tingthe thread to 'be easily adjustedinto the loops of th'e-cutter=gu-id'e,so as" to lie in .th'epath of the cutter when. the latter .isim pelle'd' bytheenergy of the spring 56 tofsever the thread at apredetermined-point.

The cutter-guide 65 is provided :at its lower and the shank being arranged to restupon by the cabinet may be revolubly supported on a sewing-machine, table, or other place, whereby the cabinet may swing around on a vertical axis, so as to supply thread conveniently to one or more seamstresses. This object is attained by the employment of a baseplate 70, having the feet 71, and through the plate passes a pivot 72, which is secured to the bottom of the cabinet, the latter resting directly upon the base-plate, as shown by Fig. 1, and free to turn on the axis afforded by the screw 72. As shown by Fig. 5, the base-plate is furnished with an ofistanding finger 73, to which is pivoted at 74 a bifurcated arm 75, and to this arm is hinged or pivoted a yieldable clamp 76, which is bent or fashioned so as to embrace an edge of a table or other support. This clamp may be adjusted to the table so as to frictionally engage therewith and hold itself in place, thus maintaining the baseplate against accidental displacement on a table.

By pivotallymounting the cabinet upon the base-plate at 72 it is adapted to turn in a horizontal plane on a vertical axis afforded by such pivot; but in some instances I may employ the limiting-bail 79, (see Fig. 2,) which is secured to the under side of the casing and is arranged to fit loosely beneath the finger 73 between the base and the clamp. The employment of this bail permits the cabinet to move in one direction or the other until arrested by the end of the bail engaging with the finger.

This being the construction of my apparatus, the operation may be described as follows: Assuming that a spool of thread is on one of the spindles 18, the thread is led through the guide 44, around the grooved pulley 28, through the guide 45, and in the eye 47 of the swinging thread-arm. The front and top of the cabinet being in the open position, the end of the thread in the thread-arm 47 is readily accessible, and the seamstress can now draw the thread, which by its frictional engagement with the pulley 28 serves to rotate said pulley and the shaft 26 and also to rotate the shaft 33 through the gears 31 32. When the master-wheel 32 shall have rotated a suitable distance, the stud 50 engages with the foot 49 of the trip-arm 49, thus turning the rock-shaft 48 and depressing the threadarm 47, so as to bring the loop or eye thereof very close to and in alinement with the recesses 68 of the cutter-guide. During the depression of the thread-carrying arm 47 the master-wheel continues to rotate, so that the stud 53 will engage with the trip-arm 52 and rock the shaft 51 for the purpose of making the crank-arm 54 retract the cutter before the thread-arm 47 will have reached its lowermost position. The thread is thus placed in the loops 68 of the cutter-guide before the stud 5O clears the arm 49 and allows the spring 51 to quickly lift the thread-arm 47 to its raised position, and the thread is thus retained in the cutter-guide, while the stud 53 is engaged with the trip-arm of the shaft 51 to maintain the cutter in its retracted position; but when the stud 53 clears the trip-arm 52 the spring 56 quickly actuates the crank-arm, so as to impel the cutter into the slot of the cutterguide, whereby the operative edge 61 of the cutter will traverse the loops or recesses 68 of the cutter guide and easily sever the thread. The thread is thus automatically cut at a predetermined point and when the proper length of thread shall'have been drawn from the spool in the cabinet; but as the cutting operation takes place at a period when the thread-arm 47 is in its raised position it is evident that a free end of the'thread will remain in the eye of the thread-arm 47, thus enabling the seamstress to again draw out the thread. The cutter 60 may easily be dismounted from the bracket 57 by the employment of an implement 77, such as shown by Fig. 10, said implement having an angular flattened blade 78, which may easily be thrust into the space between the bracket 57 and its yieldable arm 58, so as to force the latter and the stud 59 laterally with respect to the bracket, thereby Withdrawing the stud from the opening in the cutter-plate.

Changes within the scope of the appended claims may be made in the form and propor tion of some of the parts, while their essential features are retained and the spirit of the invention is embodied. Hence I do not desire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown, reserving the right to vary therefrom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 4 1. In a spool-cabinet, the combination of a measuring mechanism, a cutter-guide having means for holding a thread, a movable thread-carrying arm actuated by the measuring mechanism and arranged to automatically place a thread in said cutter-guide, a cutter operatively related to the cutter-guide, and means for actuating the cutter at a predetermined period to sever the thread confined in the cutter-guide, substantially as described.

2. In a spool-cabinet, the combination of a measuring mechanism, a cutter, a movable thread carrying arm arranged to place a thread in the path of said cutter, and means actuated by the measuring mechanism to operate both the cutter and said thread-carrying arm one after the other, whereby the arm first places the thread in the path of the cutter and then the cutter is actuated to automatically sever the thread, substantially'as described.

3. In a spool-cabinet, the combination of a measuring-wheel, a master-wheel, a cutter having operative connection with said master-wheel to be actuated intermittentlyth ereby, and a movable thread-carrying arm also connected operativel y with said master-Wheel and arranged to place a thread automatically in the path of the cutter, substantially as described.

4. In a spool-cabinet, a measuring mechanism comprising shafts normally intergea-red,

a measuring-wheel, and means for adjusting said parts to permit the measuring-wheel to have afree rotation, combined with a cutter actuated bythemeasuring mechanism, and a movable thre'ad carrying arm also actuated by the measuring mechanism and arranged to place a thread in the path of the cutter,

arranged to move a thread into engagement with the cutter-guide and into the path of the cutter, a rock-shaft also actuated at a predetermined point by the measuring mechanism,

and a movable cutter operatively connected with the rock-shaft and adapted to be actuated through the latter by the measuring mechanism, substantially as described.

6. In a spool-cabinet, a measuring mechanism comprising two shafts, a friction wheel or pulley on one of the shafts, a master-wheel on the other shaft, and trip devices carried. by the master-wheel, in combination with a cutter, a thread-carrying arm having a trip element disposed in the path of one of said trip devices on the master-Wheel, and auother trip element havingoperative connection with the cutter and disposed for actuation by the other trip device on the masterwheel, substantially as described.

7. In-a spool-cabinet, the combination of independent rock-shaftseach having a triparm, a' thread-arm carried by one rock shaft,

and a cutter having operative connection with the other rock-shaft, a master-Wheel provided with trip devices arranged to successively engage with the trip-arms of said rock-shafts;

and a thread-actuated element arranged to impart rotation to said master-Wheel, substantially as described.

' S. In a spool-cabinet,*the combination of a cutter-guide provided with thread-loops,

a movable cutter arranged to traverse the thread-loops of said guide, a thread-carrying arm movable into operative relation with the thread-loops of the cutter-guide, and a measuring mechanism having means whereby the thread-carrying arm and the cutter may be actuated successively, substantially as de-" scribed.

9. In a spool-cabinet, the combination of a tiltable shaft having a master-wl1eel, another shaft having athread-engaging element and geared to the master-WheeLmeanS for man'uallyadj usting said master-wheel shaft to disengage themaster-wheel from theshaft of the thread element, and a cutter mechanism adapted to be actuated by said master-wheel,

substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence oftwo witnesses.

4 JAMES DROVER.-

Witnesses:

HERBERT KNIGHT,

Jos. GREENE. 

